Gay-Straight Alliance Network

Nonprofit Issues:

Civil Rights, LGBTQ

Address:

1550 Bryant St Ste 800 San FranciscoCA94103USA

Mission:

Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a youth leadership organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources. Through peer support, leadership development, and training, GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to: 1. create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions, 2. educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues, and 3. fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.

Results:

In the past ten years, GSA Network has:
...Grown the network of GSA clubs in California from 40 clubs to over 7000 clubs, representing over 50% of the state's high schools.
...Provided training and support to over 10,000 youth activists and organizers across the state.
...Played a leadership role in grassroots organizing for the passage of ground-breaking, statewide legislation, AB 537: The California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
...Achieved a critical victory as plaintiff in the first lawsuit filed under AB 537; the three-year settlement agreement required the Visalia schools to enact sweeping reforms including mandatory teacher and student trainings.
...Helped build the GSA Movement nationwide by coordinating the National Association of GSA Networks, providing technical assistance and support to GSA organizers across the country.

Target demographics:

We train and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, queer, questioning and straight ally youth in middle schools and high schools to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools! We serve GSA activists of every race, income, ability, religion and background.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

Growing up black and gay in South Los Angeles, wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do. The GSA at my school influenced my life tremendously, I joined the GSA at a pivotal moment in my development which really helped me after i graduated. The acceptance and knowledge that the group provided me with allowed who i was on the inside to finally stand up and show himself on the outside. It inspired me to become an advocate in my community to ensure that other LGBT youth would have a voice as well as role model that looks like them. Thank you GSA!!!!

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

i am a youth involved with gsa network and volunteering with GSA network gave me a community. The people there care about me, and do so much to make sure that every person is comfortable and has their needs met while at traings. The work they do has amazing impact in schools and other communities, too. GSA network's help has definitely greatly increased how confident and comfortable I feel at school, not to mention making me a much more confident speaker and leader. GSA network is one of if not the thing in my life that I actually really like.

Will you recommend this organization to others?

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

GSAN is amazing! This organization has helped me so much in accepting myself. To go along with that it also gave me a major confidence boost and helped me develop leadership skills that I never had before. This organization has helped so many people and connected numerous lives together to create amazing friendships. I don't know where I would be without the GSAN.

Would you recommend this group to a friend?

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I cannot express how grateful I am for GSA network. As a 16 year old they helped me start a GSA at my high school. Today I am honored to serve as a board member. I continue to do the work by being an advisor at the high school where I teach and by serving the community through my masters research.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

GSA Network has been a leader in supporting LGBTQ and straight ally youth to create positive social change in their schools for years. I have known GSA Network for more than a decade - as a researcher I have been impressed by them because they have been an organization that consistently seeks to study / understand their impact -and adjust their strategies to best meet the needs of youth. They were talking about the role of youth in leading social change long before it was common in the field - and were essentially the first LGBTQ organization to take this lead. And their knowledge / collaboration with scholars has contributed to basic as well as practical knowledge about LGBTQ youth and youth development.

Will you recommend this organization to others?

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

My experience with GSA Network has been incredible, and life changing to say the least, from the moment I started working with them. I knew little about myself, and found myself into a depression where the internet was my only escape away from the oppression I had at home and in my hometown. It was through there that I heard about Day of Silence, Harvey Milk Day, and this grand organization called Gay-Straight Alliance Network. In the spring time, I applied to an event called GAYLA, and surprisingly was accepted. I knew nobody from the moment I came in, and four days later left knowing more about myself than I ever had, as well as with life long friendships. Few months later, I was asked to be a regional trainer, as well as sent a board of directors application, and my expectations for myself went flying for the roof. GSA Network does everything possible to make sure transportation is available for you, as well as moving any accommodations needed for you to understand what is going on at the time. Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a really great and empowering non-profit, especially the diversity it has and I cannot wait to see how even greater it turns out to be in the future!!

What is its top priority in the long run?

I am constantly impressed with the youth I meet through GSA Network. GSA Network trains them to be leaders, activist and change agents. It gives me hope for the next generation. Whether they are starting clubs at their school or lobbying at Sacramento, I think how lucky they are to have these experiences so early in their lives. I have great hope that they will continue to speak up and out. I also know that many other states have looked to GSA Network to help give them guidance to start statewide coalitions.